Renovatio Solar, part of the Renovatio group and a key player in Romania's solar energy sector, installed 650 photovoltaic panels on the ANA Hotels office building and the Crowne Plaza hotel in Bucharest, both owned by businessman George Copos.
300KWp Photovoltaic System
Two buildings in Bucharest owned by business magnate George Copos, ANA Hotels and Crowne Plaza, have a new face thanks to the installation of 650 photovoltaic panels. The installation was completed by Renovatio Solar, a subsidiary of the Renovatio group, a key player in Romania's solar energy and green technology industries. The newly installed solar panels will meet the structures' energy needs.
According Romania Insider, this project, which included designing and installing a 300KWp photovoltaic system under an EPC contract, required careful scheduling to avoid disturbing hotel guests and office workers, according to Horațiu Regneală, CEO of Renovatio Solar.
“The project included the planning and setup of a photovoltaic system with an aggregate power output of 300KWp (based on an EPC agreement - industrial prosumer) and proved challenging because it was required to function in fixed periods, determined by the client's specifications, in order not to distract hotel guests or people working in the workspace,” Regneală remarked.
Solar Project Costs 300,000 Euros
Renovatio Solar, known for its customized and high-quality turn-key photovoltaic solutions, is a prominent player in Romania's solar energy sector. ANA Hotels, owned by George Copos, includes the InterContinental Athenee Palace, Crowne Plaza in Bucharest, and several hotels in Poiana Brasov and Eforie Nord. In 2022, ANA Hotels saw an 83 percent increase in revenue, reaching a turnover of 160 million RON.
Simona Constantinescu, General Operational Director of ANA Hotels, stated that this initiative, costing around 300,000 euros, is part of their sustainability efforts and will help supply energy to the Crowne Plaza Hotel and their headquarters.
“We wanted to take our sustainability initiatives to the next level, and with the help of Renovatio Solar, we put into use photovoltaic panels, which will partly provide the needed consumption for the Crowne Plaza hotel and the company headquarters, following some investments of approximately 300,000 euros,” expressed Constantinescu.
The project, guided by the "Go Green" initiative, involved setting up electric car charging stations in ANA Hotels' parking lots. Regneala noted that their team delivered a professional design for ANA Hotels, optimizing space and panel placement to maximize efficiency. As a result, the investment is expected to be recouped more quickly than usual.
“We offered the customer ANA Hotels a professional design, which resulted in space optimisation and efficient panel arrangement to provide the highest yield per installed area. The end effect is that the amortisation of the investment will be realised in a shorter time than usual in such cases,” she said.
Romania's Transition to Solar Energy
Romania is significantly expanding its solar power capacity as part of its broader energy transition, aided by European funding and legal reforms. Investments range from individual households to large-scale utility projects, with local government units playing a crucial role. Some areas are also exploring geothermal energy. This expansion aligns with European renewable energy trends and financial incentives designed to support the green transition.
In 2023, 1 GW of new solar capacity was installed in Romania, marking a 308% increase over the previous year. The country’s total solar capacity now exceeds 2.85 GW, producing over 2.5 TWh, or nearly 5% of its total power generation. Programs like the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, the Modernization Fund, and the popular "Green House" program have facilitated this growth, despite some challenges such as the temporary suspension of the Green House Photovoltaic Programme.
Romania’s renewable energy infrastructure also includes significant wind and photovoltaic parks, with a major private investment set to establish the largest photovoltaic park in Europe in Arad. The REPowerEU plan, which allocates 1.4 billion Euros to Romania, aims to accelerate the country's green transition and boost renewable energy investments, to generate 30% of its electricity from green sources by 2030.